Promoting Mental Health Recovery After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: What Can Be Done at What Cost

• 2009

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• Michael Schoenbaum; Brittany Butler; Sheryl Kataoka; Grayson Norquist; Benjamin Springgate; Greer Sullivan
PMID: 19652130DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2009.77

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This article presents a recovery model and estimates the costs and outcomes of enhancing mental health response to large-scale disasters, focusing on the 2005 Gulf storms. The study uses decision analysis and simulations to evaluate the effectiveness of an enhanced mental health care intervention in 117 counties across affected states. The results suggest that full implementation would cost $1133 per capita, totaling over $12.5 billion, with a high recovery rate by 30 months. However, challenges such as provider capacity constraints are highlighted, indicating the need for targeted resources, capacity expansion, and strategic planning to support evidence-based mental health responses to disasters.

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Tags

Focus Areas: Mental Health; Severe Weather

Audience: Behavioral Health Professionals

Emergency Management Stage: Response

Bundles: Disaster Research Literature Review

Keywords: Anxiety Disorders; Mental Disorders; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Costs and Cost Analysis; Decision Support Techniques; Delivery of Health Care; Depression; Disaster Planning; Disasters; Health Services Accessibility; Life Change Events; Markov Chains; Mental Health Services; Relief Work; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Health Care Costs; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Survivors; Rescue Work; Cyclonic Storms; Needs Assessment

Institutions: RAND Corporation; University of California, Los Angeles; University of Mississippi; University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Harvard Medical School

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